Heir of Night (The Thorne Hill)

Seeing the tiny clothes, the little booties, and all the baby supplies makes me feel way too much this early in the morning. I’m excited and nervous and terrified and guilty all at once.

And I don’t have time to allow myself to process any of that.

Swinging my legs off the bed, I get up and immediately head to the bathroom to pee. I give my face a quick wash, run a brush through my hair, and brush my teeth, not sure if I’ll get a chance to come back and do it after I have my morning coffee. I get dressed in one of my last pairs of black leggings I can stretch over my stomach and a gray maternity shirt that’s so not my style.

Magically curling my hair as I walk, I go downstairs and find everyone but Noah, Lucas, and Eliza in the kitchen eating breakfast. The bump on Alyssa’s head is going down already, thanks to being a werewolf and healing fast. Brock’s arm, however, looks worse, and I’m not sure if I can get Abby to spring for antibiotics without it raising red flags. I don’t want her involved any more than she needs to be.

“Hey, guys.” The smell of coffee hits me, making my stomach grumble with hunger. I’m craving my normal cup of black coffee, still thankful that nasty phase of wanting to ruin perfectly good coffee with creamer is over. I’m limiting myself to a half cup of caffeinated coffee a day and the rest decaf.

“I made breakfast,” Alyssa says, motioning to the eggs, sausage, and toast on the counter. One of the fruit trays from the party is out as well. “I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course, thank you.”

“I fed your dog too. She’s very well behaved.”

“She’s had extensive training.” I get a coffee cup from the cabinet.

“It’s not half decaf,” Kristy says apologetically. “I forgot.”

“It’s okay. I’ll just have half a cup.” I go into the butler’s pantry to fill up my cup and return to load food onto a plate. Judging by how calm everyone is, Noah didn’t rot from the inside out last night and the demon is still subdued, tied up in the library while Lucas and Eliza keep watch.

“The twins and Ruby are meeting with us soon,” Tabatha tells me when I sit at the breakfast table next to her. “Ruby thinks she found a breakthrough.”

“I’m gonna guess she was up all night doing research and not resting like she was supposed to.”

“I am too.” She gives me a look that lets me know she has something more to say but doesn’t want to say it in front of the others. We finish eating in mostly awkward silence, and then Tabatha takes me into the conservatory. I really need Olive to come over and help me with my sad attempt of growing my own herbs.

“That werewolf boy isn’t going to last must longer,” she says, cutting right to the chase. If he were merely human, the demon would have burned through him already, even with us constantly casting the demon sleep spell.

“I know,” I say, feeling my heart sink. “Did you tell his mother?”

“No, and I’m not going to.”

“You’re not?” I wrinkle my nose. “We should warn her so she’s prepared.”

“Noah is not going to die.”

“But you said he’s not going to make it much longer.” I tip my head, not following.

“He’s not, not with the demon inside of him. So, we are going to perform an exorcism.”

Chapter 11

I stare at Tabatha, positive I heard her but confused at the same time. “I can’t send a demon to Hell right now, and unless someone found out how to get a raft on the River Styx, an exorcism will just set the demon free into the world. Which seems rather dangerous, if you ask me.”

“We’re not setting it free,” Tabatha says with a slight smile. “Your friend Melinda gave us the idea, actually. If you can trap a spirit in a box, why not attempt to trap a demon in something stronger than another person?”

“I’m not follow—wait—you said Ruby and the twins are meeting with us. They’re not coming here, are they?”

“No, we are going to them at the Covenstead. It’s where Lucas is right now.” Tabatha holds her hand up, knowing I’m about to fire off a million questions. “Hellfire kills demons, but we only know for certain it does when they’re in their true form. Killing a demon when their dark spirit can’t be sent to Hell will release that spirit on earth. Normally, if the body the demon is possessing is under stress or in danger, they’ll leave, which is exactly what they do when the body starts to decompose.”

“Are we going to constantly transfer the demon from one body to another? That’s a death sentence for a lot of people.”